(10-06-2021 08:49 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 08:12 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 07:47 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 07:12 PM)whittx Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 06:40 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  Schools I want to invite:

App State, Marshall


Schools I am OK with if we invite:

UAB, Georgia State, Rice, ULL, FAU, USA, USM


Schools that I do not get at all and would blanch at:

UTSA, UNT, Buffalo, ODU, La-Tech ... any other MAC or CUSA or SBC school

So you are looking at FB only and not anything else.

Kind of, IMO that's the main thing to look at, plus, I am a believer in geography, and want the conference to go east.

A "holistic" approach is something you have to earn, be able to afford. Like the B1G, they are so rich and powerful they can afford to have 10 boxes you have to check in addition to great football and hoops, like AAU membership, research budget, US News rank, Diversity initiatives, Green Energy commitments, and the like.

The AAC? We just need to take schools that will make us a better football conference, IMO.

These schools of UAB, Georgia State, Rice, ULL, FAU, USA, USM will make your conference weaker in football.

There's some truth there, granted. But that's a big reason I prefer Marshall and App State.

2-3 Marshall who had a record of 40-57 when they were in C-USA 2.0 with a majority of the current AAC? That's the for sure improving FB add? Yes I'm pointing to really current results on the field, because any addition you think is going to for sure help football you have to point to really current FBS success because they don't have historical success.

(10-06-2021 08:58 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 08:49 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 08:12 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 07:47 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 07:12 PM)whittx Wrote:  So you are looking at FB only and not anything else.

Kind of, IMO that's the main thing to look at, plus, I am a believer in geography, and want the conference to go east.

A "holistic" approach is something you have to earn, be able to afford. Like the B1G, they are so rich and powerful they can afford to have 10 boxes you have to check in addition to great football and hoops, like AAU membership, research budget, US News rank, Diversity initiatives, Green Energy commitments, and the like.

The AAC? We just need to take schools that will make us a better football conference, IMO.

These schools of UAB, Georgia State, Rice, ULL, FAU, USA, USM will make your conference weaker in football.

There's some truth there, granted. But that's a big reason I prefer Marshall and App State.

2-3 Marshall who had a record of 40-57 when they were in C-USA 2.0 with a majority of the current AAC? That's the for sure improving FB add? Yes I'm pointing to really current results on the field, because any addition you think is going to for sure help football you have to point to really current FBS success because they don't have historical success.

Marshall been up and down in D1 for a long time. They were SoCon for a long while which SoCon was considered a Power Conference at one time. They have more winning seasons than UAB. Marshall is a known school while UAB is more new in football. North Dakota State could add a Boise State like team to your conference. They are a known product. If you want to add a startup football program? UTSA is the better choice. They could get P5 schools come to the Alamo Dome to play them.

(10-06-2021 08:49 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 08:12 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 07:47 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 07:12 PM)whittx Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 06:40 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  Schools I want to invite:

App State, Marshall


Schools I am OK with if we invite:

UAB, Georgia State, Rice, ULL, FAU, USA, USM


Schools that I do not get at all and would blanch at:

UTSA, UNT, Buffalo, ODU, La-Tech ... any other MAC or CUSA or SBC school

So you are looking at FB only and not anything else.

Kind of, IMO that's the main thing to look at, plus, I am a believer in geography, and want the conference to go east.

A "holistic" approach is something you have to earn, be able to afford. Like the B1G, they are so rich and powerful they can afford to have 10 boxes you have to check in addition to great football and hoops, like AAU membership, research budget, US News rank, Diversity initiatives, Green Energy commitments, and the like.

The AAC? We just need to take schools that will make us a better football conference, IMO.

These schools of UAB, Georgia State, Rice, ULL, FAU, USA, USM will make your conference weaker in football.

There's some truth there, granted. But that's a big reason I prefer Marshall and App State.

Appalachian State over Charlotte? That might make some sense because it would knee cap the SBC because at that point they probably wouldn't be able to pull in Marshall.

That doesn't seem what ESPN is doing. They are making the AAC into a southern metro conference and the SBC into the southern FB school conference.

(10-06-2021 08:58 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 08:49 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 08:12 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 07:47 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-05-2021 07:12 PM)whittx Wrote:  So you are looking at FB only and not anything else.

Kind of, IMO that's the main thing to look at, plus, I am a believer in geography, and want the conference to go east.

A "holistic" approach is something you have to earn, be able to afford. Like the B1G, they are so rich and powerful they can afford to have 10 boxes you have to check in addition to great football and hoops, like AAU membership, research budget, US News rank, Diversity initiatives, Green Energy commitments, and the like.

The AAC? We just need to take schools that will make us a better football conference, IMO.

These schools of UAB, Georgia State, Rice, ULL, FAU, USA, USM will make your conference weaker in football.

There's some truth there, granted. But that's a big reason I prefer Marshall and App State.

2-3 Marshall who had a record of 40-57 when they were in C-USA 2.0 with a majority of the current AAC? That's the for sure improving FB add? Yes I'm pointing to really current results on the field, because any addition you think is going to for sure help football you have to point to really current FBS success because they don't have historical success.

Fair points. But Marshall is a (G5) brand name of sorts. People know them. Nobody knows UAB or UTSA and Buffalo, IMO.

(10-06-2021 09:27 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 08:58 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 08:49 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 08:12 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 07:47 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  Kind of, IMO that's the main thing to look at, plus, I am a believer in geography, and want the conference to go east.

A "holistic" approach is something you have to earn, be able to afford. Like the B1G, they are so rich and powerful they can afford to have 10 boxes you have to check in addition to great football and hoops, like AAU membership, research budget, US News rank, Diversity initiatives, Green Energy commitments, and the like.

The AAC? We just need to take schools that will make us a better football conference, IMO.

These schools of UAB, Georgia State, Rice, ULL, FAU, USA, USM will make your conference weaker in football.

There's some truth there, granted. But that's a big reason I prefer Marshall and App State.

2-3 Marshall who had a record of 40-57 when they were in C-USA 2.0 with a majority of the current AAC? That's the for sure improving FB add? Yes I'm pointing to really current results on the field, because any addition you think is going to for sure help football you have to point to really current FBS success because they don't have historical success.

Fair points. But Marshall is a (G5) brand name of sorts. People know them. Nobody knows UAB or UTSA and Buffalo, IMO.

Do a site visit to Huntington then tell me what you think.

(10-06-2021 09:55 AM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 09:27 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 08:58 AM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 08:49 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 08:12 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  These schools of UAB, Georgia State, Rice, ULL, FAU, USA, USM will make your conference weaker in football.

There's some truth there, granted. But that's a big reason I prefer Marshall and App State.

2-3 Marshall who had a record of 40-57 when they were in C-USA 2.0 with a majority of the current AAC? That's the for sure improving FB add? Yes I'm pointing to really current results on the field, because any addition you think is going to for sure help football you have to point to really current FBS success because they don't have historical success.

Fair points. But Marshall is a (G5) brand name of sorts. People know them. Nobody knows UAB or UTSA and Buffalo, IMO.

Do a site visit to Huntington then tell me what you think.

I'm indifferent on Marshall joining the AAC, both as a Marshall and as a Tulane fan, but the "just visit Huntington" narrative is lazy. On the AAC board schools boast about how much things have changed in the 9-10 years since CUSA 2.0 dissolved. Same is true for Huntington. It has undergone a dramatic revitalization downtown and does not resemble the town you saw whenever you visited. I live in Denver and only make it back to Huntington once or twice a year, and every time I go I'm shocked at how much has changed.

Mountain West Staves Off AAC, Keeps Boise State, San Diego State, Air Force & Colorado State In Conference

https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/moun...rado-state

ACTIONNETWORK.COM

BRETT MCMURPHY - OCTOBER 1, 2022

"After weeks of discussions between the Mountain West’s top four schools and the American, the Mountain West managed to stave off the AAC and stay intact.

AAC commish Mike Aresco said his league “has not offered membership to any institution. Our process for considering potential members remains deliberate, strategic & focused on the continued proven success of our conference.”

After the exits of Cincinnati, UCF and Houston, the AAC will be down to eight members. Among its only options would be from Conference USA or the Sun Belt.

At the top of the list is UAB and, perhaps, Charlotte, with several other schools from both leagues in play once the AAC decides which path to proceed."

“We’re still determining who, and how many is still up in the air,” an AAC source said. “Anything from two to six schools seems possible.”

I assume that the source is probably Commissioner Aresco or one of the AAC Presidents.

What they meant when they said "seems possible" may be that, as they understand it, ESPN would provide the necessary backing to add six more schools.

Whether or not this would mean adding six more full members isn't clear, but what is clear is that ESPN will back adding four more full members, and possibly six.

.

What I take this to mean is that ESPN is going "all in" for the AAC at this point.

They know that many schools probably have reservations about joining what now seems like the most unstable conference of them all.

I'm starting to think that ESPN isn't willing to risk the possibility of watching the AAC implode, and that it is therefore prepared to pay the new schools that join as much as $7 million/year.

They've either got to put the money there to bring the top eastern schools into the AAC, or they're going to end up with a wretched little version of the AAC that's no better than the SBC, the MAC, or the MWC.

Further, there's no question that they have the money. They've got plenty of cash.

They can pull the AAC through this maelstrom. They seem to be putting the cash out there.

The only question now is this: When the rubber meets the road, can Mike Aresco sell the AAC to the highest-quality eastern FB & BB schools or not?

Is it possible that Aresco is "all hat and no cattle?"

(10-06-2021 10:55 AM)Milwaukee Wrote:  Mountain West Staves Off AAC, Keeps Boise State, San Diego State, Air Force & Colorado State In Conference

https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/moun...rado-state

ACTIONNETWORK.COM

BRETT MCMURPHY - OCTOBER 1, 2022

"After weeks of discussions between the Mountain West’s top four schools and the American, the Mountain West managed to stave off the AAC and stay intact.

AAC commish Mike Aresco said his league “has not offered membership to any institution. Our process for considering potential members remains deliberate, strategic & focused on the continued proven success of our conference.”

After the exits of Cincinnati, UCF and Houston, the AAC will be down to eight members. Among its only options would be from Conference USA or the Sun Belt.

At the top of the list is UAB and, perhaps, Charlotte, with several other schools from both leagues in play once the AAC decides which path to proceed."

“We’re still determining who, and how many is still up in the air,” an AAC source said. “Anything from two to six schools seems possible.”

I assume that the source is probably Commissioner Aresco or one of the AAC Presidents.

What they meant when they said "seems possible" may be that, as they understand it, ESPN would provide the necessary backing to add six more schools.

Whether or not this would mean adding six more full members isn't clear, but what is clear is that ESPN will back adding four more full members, and possibly six.

.

What I take this to mean is that ESPN is going "all in" for the AAC at this point.

They know that many schools probably have reservations about joining what now seems like the most unstable conference of them all.

I'm starting to think that ESPN isn't willing to risk the possibility of watching the AAC implode, and that it is therefore prepared to pay the new schools that join as much as $7 million/year.

They've either got to put the money there to bring the top eastern schools into the AAC, or they're going to end up with a wretched little version of the AAC that's no better than the SBC, the MAC, or the MWC.

Further, there's no question that they have the money. They've got plenty of cash.

They can pull the AAC through this maelstrom. They seem to be putting the cash out there.

The only question now is this: When the rubber meets the road, can Mike Aresco sell the AAC to the highest-quality eastern FB & BB schools or not?

Is it possible that Aresco is "all hat and no cattle?"

OK that's a lot of supposition.

1. A person (even one in a power position in the AAC) saying "anything from 2-6 seems possible" doesn't mean that ESPN has written them an imaginary blank check. I suppose that is one of many possibilities - but it doesn't necessarily mean that.

2. "or they're going to end up with a wretched little version of the AAC that's no better than the SBC, the MAC, or the MWC" One of those ships has sailed - they don't have potential additions that get them up the the MWC, at least in football, at this point. Their only hope to be above the MWC after the defections of Cincinnati, Houston and UCF was to steal teams from the MWC - knocking the MWC down as it raised the AAC up. That didn't happen.

2-a) But are the remaining teams in the "wretched little version of the AAC" better than the MAC or SBC? It seems a strange omission that you didn't mention C-USA? Maybe that wasn't intentional. Anyway - I'm not sure they are better. I'll give you Memphis basketball, but what else is head and shoulders above those conferences you disdain? None jump out at me that has been better in FB than Appy State, Coastal Carolina or Louisiana as of late - and that's just from the Sun Belt. Am I missing something?

if it were up to me, I would choose several schools that weren't in the poll. UAB, UTSA, App St, and FAU.

(10-06-2021 11:36 AM)SMUstang Wrote:  if it were up to me, I would choose several schools that weren't in the poll. UAB, UTSA, App St, and FAU.

A fair set of picks - they cut both the Sun Belt and C-USA down a bit in the process, but they're not getting on par with the MWC at this point.

(10-06-2021 11:36 AM)SMUstang Wrote:  if it were up to me, I would choose several schools that weren't in the poll. UAB, UTSA, App St, and FAU.

UAB and FAU would bring the AAC down close to C-USA conference.

UTSA, App. State, Marshall, Toledo, Buffalo, JMU and NDSU could help boast the AAC as equals to the MWC. NDSU could be a real threat to take a NY6 bowl or get into the expanded playoffs.

Army and Buffalo are long shots, and I think a lot of people have a fundamental misunderstanding of where western New York is compared to the rest of the country (spoiler —nowhere near Amherst, MA). I think the best option for all sports would be:

UAB
Rice
Marshall
WKU

Not what I would want to see (all hail CUSA East breakaway conference) but it brings in an academics whale and 3 programs with solid football, great basketball, and passionate fan bases all while cleaning up geography. Markets: Houston, Birmingham, Nashville.

East:
Temple
Marshall
WKU
ECU
UAB
USF

West:
Memphis
Tulane
Navy/Wichita State
SMU
Tulsa
Rice


Added bonus: it imports the WKU/Marshall rivalry (“Moonshine Throwdown”).

(10-07-2021 06:21 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 11:36 AM)SMUstang Wrote:  if it were up to me, I would choose several schools that weren't in the poll. UAB, UTSA, App St, and FAU.

UAB and FAU would bring the AAC down close to C-USA conference.

UTSA, App. State, Marshall, Toledo, Buffalo, JMU and NDSU could help boast the AAC as equals to the MWC. NDSU could be a real threat to take a NY6 bowl or get into the expanded playoffs.

And only two of those--Buffalo and James Madison--are either close to or at the bottom rung of AAC budget requirements.

North Dakota State had a couple of good years back around the early 2010's defeating Oklahoma in the NCAA Tournament as a 12-seed and giving Gonzaga a scare as a 15-seed. They did win a play-in round about 4 years ago too. But NDSU basketball has seemed to drop off since then which has to be concerning to the AAC and non-football members like Wichita State.

(10-06-2021 11:44 AM)VolCajun Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 11:36 AM)SMUstang Wrote:  if it were up to me, I would choose several schools that weren't in the poll. UAB, UTSA, App St, and FAU.

A fair set of picks - they cut both the Sun Belt and C-USA down a bit in the process, but they're not getting on par with the MWC at this point.

Multi-year looks at ESPN FPI and SP+ show the remaining eight of the AAC STILL #6, ahead of the mwc on the football field.

After UC, UH, and UCF depart, the remaining eight of the AAC STILL have more viewers than the mwc.
Even a decreased contract reflecting the 40% of viewership departing will be more average annual value than the mwc contract, and probably divided fewer ways if the AAC only replensihes to 9 or 10 teams.
After UC, UH, and UCF depart, the remaining eight of the AAC will STILL have better attendance than the mwc.

No, the post-2021 AAC won't be on par with the mwc...it will remain ahead by just about any metric.

(10-07-2021 06:21 AM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 11:36 AM)SMUstang Wrote:  if it were up to me, I would choose several schools that weren't in the poll. UAB, UTSA, App St, and FAU.

UAB and FAU would bring the AAC down close to C-USA conference.

UTSA, App. State, Marshall, Toledo, Buffalo, JMU and NDSU could help boast the AAC as equals to the MWC. NDSU could be a real threat to take a NY6 bowl or get into the expanded playoffs.

There is absolutely no way to predict that NDSU could maintain their level of success against FBS teams week in and week out. Just like even though Bowling Green beat a B1G school doesn't mean they would sneak out a B1G Championship victory playing a full season in there.

(10-07-2021 06:40 AM)BKTopper Wrote:  Army and Buffalo are long shots, and I think a lot of people have a fundamental misunderstanding of where western New York is compared to the rest of the country (spoiler —nowhere near Amherst, MA). I think the best option for all sports would be:

UAB
Rice
Marshall
WKU

Not what I would want to see (all hail CUSA East breakaway conference) but it brings in an academics whale and 3 programs with solid football, great basketball, and passionate fan bases all while cleaning up geography. Markets: Houston, Birmingham, Nashville.

East:
Temple
Marshall
WKU
ECU
UAB
USF

West:
Memphis
Tulane
Navy/Wichita State
SMU
Tulsa
Rice


Added bonus: it imports the WKU/Marshall rivalry (“Moonshine Throwdown”).

Get Aresco on the phone and let's get this over the hump. Then USM can finally announce their move to the SBC.

Can we just lock DavidSt and Jed Clampet/JamesTKirk/Milwaukee in a cage and have a TL;DR death match?

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

(10-07-2021 11:22 AM)b2b Wrote:  Can we just lock DavidSt and Jed Clampet/JamesTKirk/Milwaukee in a cage and have a TL;DR death match?

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

ToddRodge too

(10-06-2021 11:28 AM)VolCajun Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 10:55 AM)Milwaukee Wrote:  Mountain West Staves Off AAC, Keeps Boise State, San Diego State, Air Force & Colorado State In Conference

https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/moun...rado-state

ACTIONNETWORK.COM

BRETT MCMURPHY - OCTOBER 1, 2022

"After weeks of discussions between the Mountain West’s top four schools and the American, the Mountain West managed to stave off the AAC and stay intact.

AAC commish Mike Aresco said his league “has not offered membership to any institution. Our process for considering potential members remains deliberate, strategic & focused on the continued proven success of our conference.”

After the exits of Cincinnati, UCF and Houston, the AAC will be down to eight members. Among its only options would be from Conference USA or the Sun Belt.

At the top of the list is UAB and, perhaps, Charlotte, with several other schools from both leagues in play once the AAC decides which path to proceed."

“We’re still determining who, and how many is still up in the air,” an AAC source said. “Anything from two to six schools seems possible.”

I assume that the source is probably Commissioner Aresco or one of the AAC Presidents.

What they meant when they said "seems possible" may be that, as they understand it, ESPN would provide the necessary backing to add six more schools.

Whether or not this would mean adding six more full members isn't clear, but what is clear is that ESPN will back adding four more full members, and possibly six.

.

What I take this to mean is that ESPN is going "all in" for the AAC at this point.

They know that many schools probably have reservations about joining what now seems like the most unstable conference of them all.

I'm starting to think that ESPN isn't willing to risk the possibility of watching the AAC implode, and that it is therefore prepared to pay the new schools that join as much as $7 million/year.

They've either got to put the money there to bring the top eastern schools into the AAC, or they're going to end up with a wretched little version of the AAC that's no better than the SBC, the MAC, or the MWC.

Further, there's no question that they have the money. They've got plenty of cash.

They can pull the AAC through this maelstrom. They seem to be putting the cash out there.

The only question now is this: When the rubber meets the road, can Mike Aresco sell the AAC to the highest-quality eastern FB & BB schools or not?

Is it possible that Aresco is "all hat and no cattle?"

OK that's a lot of supposition.

1. A person (even one in a power position in the AAC) saying "anything from 2-6 seems possible" doesn't mean that ESPN has written them an imaginary blank check. I suppose that is one of many possibilities - but it doesn't necessarily mean that.

2. "or they're going to end up with a wretched little version of the AAC that's no better than the SBC, the MAC, or the MWC" One of those ships has sailed - they don't have potential additions that get them up the the MWC, at least in football, at this point. Their only hope to be above the MWC after the defections of Cincinnati, Houston and UCF was to steal teams from the MWC - knocking the MWC down as it raised the AAC up. That didn't happen.

2-a) But are the remaining teams in the "wretched little version of the AAC" better than the MAC or SBC? It seems a strange omission that you didn't mention C-USA? Maybe that wasn't intentional. Anyway - I'm not sure they are better. I'll give you Memphis basketball, but what else is head and shoulders above those conferences you disdain? None jump out at me that has been better in FB than Appy State, Coastal Carolina or Louisiana as of late - and that's just from the Sun Belt. Am I missing something?

Yes you are missing something. You're asking the wrong question. If you are the top of the Sunbelt, MAC, or CUSA--the question is "Is whats left of the AAC better than the bottom 8 of my present conference?" If that answer is "yes" (and I see no way it couldnt be), then you're better off joining up in the AAC with other top schools from the SB/CUSA/MAC than staying where you are. And we havent even begun to discuss the monetary difference or the academic preferences of college presidents.

(10-06-2021 11:44 AM)VolCajun Wrote:  

(10-06-2021 11:36 AM)SMUstang Wrote:  if it were up to me, I would choose several schools that weren't in the poll. UAB, UTSA, App St, and FAU.

A fair set of picks - they cut both the Sun Belt and C-USA down a bit in the process, but they're not getting on par with the MWC at this point.

Depends on how many you add. If you add more than 4, then you're probably on par with the MWC in value per team.